The Race Is On
by child of a fallen god
Summary: So, what do Hogwart's Professors do when a war is ended, and they are bored? Well, try to divest the loveable Professor Granger of her virginity, of course!
1. Chapter 1

_**General Disclaimer**_: _I'm saying this once. I do not own the Harry Potter characters! Or the World of Harry Potter! © JKR!_

**AN: Hey all. I've not stopped working on Handbasket, I promise. Just a plot-bunny that jumped out at me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

**THE RACE IS ON. . .**

_CHAPTER ONE_

"You will not believe what I just found out!"

Charles Weasley turned his attention from one Remus John Lupin as he was in the middle of reliving one of the rousing adventures he had partaken in when he had been one of the members of the notorious Marauders, fixing the interrupter with a look that might have been mistaken as relief. Readjusting himself in his seat, he ran a hand through his thick, red hair, blue eyes gazing intently at his brother, who happened to be said interrupter. "What did you just find out?"

William Weasley just shook his head, collapsing in one of the chairs around the large oak table that took up half of the Professor's Lounge. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes were wild, a wicked smile lingering on his full lips.

"Well, tell us." Remus sat back in his chair, his graying brown hair falling over one inquisitive golden eye, giving him a boyish charm. He wasn't the least upset that Bill had interrupted his monologue. He had only been talking to fill the frigid silence of the overly large lounge.

"See, I had been talking to Ginny. . ." Here Charlie snorted, and Bill fixed him with a mock-glare, and continued on. "She had been complaining that our lovely Arithmancy Professor hasn't been on a date since she and Ron had that one particularly horrid one in their last year as Hogwarts Students." Here all three men shuddered. They had all been teaching at Hogwarts when the row between Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger had taken place in the middle of the Great Hall, where Ron ended up wearing three-fourths of a glass of pumpkin juice, and Hermione had not attended a week's worth of classes. If only Ron hadn't been staring at Lavender's impressive cleavage when he was supposed to have been paying attention to his date. "And. . .then Ginny said something that shocked me to the core. . ." Bill paused dramatically here, watching the faces of his two companions.

"Out with it, Bill!" Charlie groaned, tired of his brother's theatrics.

"She said that our ickle Hermione is still as innocent as the day that she was born!" Bill stage-whispered to the intent listeners. Charlie's mouth dropped open, and Remus blushed to the roots of his graying hair.

"You mean. . .?" Remus gulped.

"Yesssss." Bill hissed, lowering his voice even more. "Hermione Granger is twenty-five years old and still a virgin!"

"Oh, how delightful! I knew that she was a smart little girl." Remus exclaimed, which earned him a disgusted look from both Bill and Charlie. "What?"

Both men just shook their heads, rolling their eyes at the confused man. "Do you really mean to tell me that Hermione Granger has never slept with anyone, not even that Krum guy that she dated when she was fourteen?" This earned him an appraising look from Bill that clearly asked why in the world he had been following the love life of a fourteen year old, and Charlie rolled his eyes. "Lest you forget, Mum was in a terrible mood when she thought that Hermione had been leading poor Harry Potter on. I got to hear it firsthand. You didn't come in for Christmas that year Bill. I did."

"Oh. Well, anyway, yes, that's what I'm telling you." Bill nodded emphatically, shaking his already disheveled hair loose from the tail he had tied it back in. "So, what are we going to do about this?"

"What do you mean, what are we going to do about this? Should we throw her a party, you think? Do people throw parties for people that retain their virginity through their teenage years?" Remus pondered audibly. Both Weasley's again fixed him with a stare that plainly asked why they had even thought to include him in the conversation.

"Remus, are you. . .?" Charlie shook his head and stopped his question, realizing it might be a little too rude to ask that plain out.

"If you are asking if I enjoy the attention of males, I do not, Charlie." Remus retorted, looking just shy of being irritated. "I just don't see the problem with being a virgin. I wish I still was." Both Weasley men eyed him once more, and Remus grinned self-consciously. "She's just a girl."

"No, Remus, she is not just a girl. Hermione Granger is a grown woman." It was Bill's turn to grin, and rather wolfishly at that. "She is a grown woman virgin. She is a fine piece of—"

"I would not finish that sentence, Weasley." The frigidly soft voice from the doorway made all three men jump. "The chit in question is still a Hogwarts Professor, and to be speaking of her in this manner is highly. . .unprofessional."

"Stuff it, Snape." Bill muttered amiably. "You're just upset that there was something I knew that you didn't."

Snape glided into the room, his black robes swirling about him in a way that made him seem the stuff of nightmares that all Hogwarts students believed he was. Lank black hair lay against his alabaster skin, only giving that much more to the impression that he was an overly greasy vampire. Settling near the fire, reclining in an overstuffed armchair that was positioned rather gracefully at the edge of the long table, he turned obsidian eyes on his peers. "So, what is it that you are about to propose, Weasley?"

Suddenly, Remus caught the hint of where this conversation was headed. "Oh, no. No, no no no no! We can't be seriously thinking of. . ."

"You might not." Bill grinned wickedly at the aging Werewolf. "But I'm thinking that things have gotten a little boring since the defeat of Voldemort. I need a little spice."

"Not to mention a little action since Fleur left the scene." Charlie added glibly, ignoring the searing glare his brother sent his way.

"All I'm saying is that it is a shame, nay, a crime that Hermione Granger has not been divested of the last of her childhood!" Bill stood up. "I bet, that if I tried hard enough, I could rid her of this calamity."

Snape arched an eyebrow. "You. . .bet? How simply. . .novel." Lowering his silky voice, he purred. "I'll take you up on that bet. She's a smart girl, I'm sure she will not give her virtue over to the hands of an imbecile aping the acts of maturity."

Feeling a childish spurt of anger at Snape for that jibe, he squared his shoulders. "And I suppose you could do better?" Crossing his arms over his broad chest, he barely restrained the urge to poke his tongue out at the Potions Professor.

"Weasley." Snape all but snorted. "These fingers of mine are not only gloriously long so that I can easily brew fame, and mix fortune."

"Yes, they are wonderful for picking your nose too." Remus laughed softly.

At this, Snape turned a disgusted look on Remus. "Oh, and I suppose the Wolf in Professor's clothing has something witty to add to this conversation. How many women have you ever been with Lupin?" Remus flushed a deep scarlet. "One at the most, I suppose. None would have you due to your little monthly secret, eh?"

"I'll have you know that I can pleasure a woman just as well as any man!" Remus began hotly.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you can, though only in your mind. You were one for daydreaming, if I remember correctly." Snape glared at his old rival.

"I bet I could have Hermione in a puddle before you could have her warming up to your icy overtures." Remus met Snape's glare, a look of the Marauder he once was peeking out from behind those angry golden eyes.

"I'll take up that bet!" Bill added, enthusiastically caught up between the two elder men. "What about you, Charlie? Are you in?"

"What do I get out of it?"

"Besides a chance at—"

"Mind your tongue, Weasley."

"How about a full week's vacation. Everyone pitches in a day and a half, and the winner gets the vacation, and the self-satisfaction of knowing he's a sexy beast."

XXXXXXXX

Hermione Jane Granger chewed at her bottom lip with her teeth, staring at Ginny with a mixture of hopefulness and worry. "Do you think he took the bait?"

"I hope so." Ginny sighed. "Getting you laid is something I'm only going to do once, after this you better find your own ways."

Hermione laughed, embracing her longtime friend. "Don't worry Ginny, I promise that your hen party will be the best. But why all of them, Ginny? And how are you so sure that he'll even take it as a challenge?"

"Well, it gives you something of a choice. There is Bill, who is roguishly handsome and devilishly enticing." At Hermione's look of . . .disgust. . .Ginny just shrugged. "Hey, I'm allowed, I'm his sister. Anyway, then there is Charlie, who is muscular and quite witty, not to mention adventurous. Then there's Remus, studious, sweet, quite a wolf, I'm told. And lastly, Snape. He has a sense of foreboding, a presence, an ego, and sarcasm. He is mysterious. And besides, every girl should get to be fought over. You only lose your virginity once, Hermione. You might as well have a ball before hand."

"I thought you got that during. . ."

"Miss Granger, I sense a sex-fiend in you yet!"


	2. Chapter 2

_**THE RACE IS ON. . .**_

**CHAPTER TWO**

Hermione Granger stared at her dinner plate as if it had mesmerized her. The searing looks she had been receiving from Bill had put an almost permanent tint of red to her cheeks, and the look of appraisal from Snape had been practically indecent! Why, if he had not been so much larger than herself, she might very well have smacked him, what with him dragging his obsidian eyes up her body as if she were a glass of water to a man dying of thirst. Thinking of the knowledge those dark eyes had contained, she suppressed a shudder.

Charlie was a different story altogether, and Hermione was frankly disappointed. He had not acted anything other than chivalrous to her since she had come back to Hogwarts for the beginning of the school year. He had a 'big brother' attitude that oozed out from him, and Hermione lamented silently. She had to admit that in her younger years she had fancied Charlie for a while, with his intense eyes and instant smile. Not to mention wondering where exactly the tattoo of the Hornback that sinuously snaked down his stomach led.

Feeling a wave of heat engulf her yet again, she sighed audibly.

"Is something the matter?" The warm voice of Charlie Weasley washed over her and she suppressed yet another shudder. She turned her gaze slightly to meet the eyes of the second eldest Weasley, his smile engaging but his eyes bespeaking volumes of concern for her.

"No. . ." She managed to choke out, aware that she seemed an incoherent mess. "I'm. . ." Shaking her head, she swallowed, forcing the words out of her mouth, trying desperately to keep him from seeing her gaze drawn to his pouty lips. "I'm fine, thanks."

"That's good, because methinks you may have to conserve your strength for this year's crew." Charlie smiled good-naturedly, and Hermione swallowed another sigh. She wasn't sure why she was so disappointed that Charlie didn't seem to be as. . .aware of her femininity as Snape, Bill, and even the overly blushing Remus so obviously were, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to be noticed by this strong male, wanted him to see her, just as she wanted Bill, Remus, and even Severus to see her. Which is exactly why she and Ginny had come up with this scheme to divest her of her virginity in the first place.

"Hermione. . ." Turning her attention to Bill, she didn't see the look of annoyance that crossed Charlie's face, nor the almost feral snarl he aimed at his brother. "I was wondering if maybe you would need help unpacking?" Bill feigned a look of innocence, twisting his fingers in his napkin as if he were nervous. He watched her eyes fall to his hands, and he shot a grin above her head at the fuming Charlie.

"No. Not really." She lifted confused eyes to his face, in time to see his triumphant smile disappear. "But. . .if you wanted to walk me to my rooms, that would be alright." She gave him a quick grin, before glancing at Minerva and Albus, as if to excuse herself. Two weeks she had before the students returned. Would that be enough time?

XXXXXXXX

Charlie growled low in his throat as Bill escorted Hermione from the table, his gaze becoming heated. He had tried to be nice and sweet where she was concerned, but if his brother insisted on making bold moves like that, well. . .two could play at that game.

He tried to tell himself that he wanted to win the competition, just to show up his brother. He tried to tell himself that it was about the vacation days. He tried to tell himself that the stab of anger that almost rocked him was not because Hermione Jane Granger was resting her hand on his brother's arm, smiling up at him as if he were the only person in the world.

"Charlie?" He turned to meet the confused and weighing gaze of the werewolf. "You were staring."

"Shut up Remus." Charlie threw his napkin in his plate and eagerly excused himself, stalking out of the Great Hall in a way that was almost reminiscent of the Potions Master.

XXXXXXXXX

Remus looked at Severus, who returned his gaze with a questioning one of his own. The two elder men had long ago put aside their differences, not that it showed in their everyday rivalry. During the war they had decided that as almost the last surviving members of their graduating class, it might be well and good if they just agreed to disagree, and formed an uneasy friendship. As one, they removed themselves from their seats, following the footsteps of the second eldest Weasley.

To them, this was just a game. Neither of them really had any interest in Hermione, and both of them knew that.

"Do you suppose. . ." Remus began as they exited the Great Hall.

"Yes, I do suppose." Snape agreed, looking at Remus. The man that was under that harsh exterior almost danced giddily. "The question is, what do we do about it?"

"If we continue to play this game, Charlie is going to go stark mad on us all." Remus replied, chewing on his bottom lip as he contemplated that statement.

"But if he fancies her, why doesn't he make a move? She's been back in the castle for over twenty-four hours, and he has yet to say anything that could even be misconstrued as flirting." Snape shook his head, lank hair dancing about his face.

Suddenly, realization dawned of them both.

"Oh no. . ." Remus groaned, leaning against the wall. "He doesn't know. He doesn't realize that he fancies her."

"Then perhaps we should continue with this farce." Snape's smirk was something that could have been termed and coined as evil, had it not been a Dumbledore-esque twinkle in his cold obsidian eyes. But that could have been the lighting. For those that knew Snape, he did not 'twinkle'.

Remus had caught onto the idea and nodded. "Let his jealousy make him realize." Then Remus shook his head sadly. "But it might be too late by then."

"Not if we let Weasley know that his brother fancies Granger." Snape crooked one of his long, delicate fingers, tapping his chin in thought.

"How dubious, Severus." Remus whispered, "A triumvirate intent on setting Miss Granger up with Charlie Weasley! But why are you so. . .well. . .nice?"

"Even an evil git like me loves a happy ending." Snape added before sweeping off to the dungeons. "We will begin planning tomorrow."

If Remus' smile had seemed a little Slytherin, well. . .who could blame him. The chocolate-loving werewolf loved a happy ending himself.

XXXXXXXXX

"Thank you for walking me to my rooms." Hermione tried her best Damsel-that-is-not-entirely-in-distress-but-may-swoon-in-a-dead-faint-for-lack-of-a-better-ploy voice. It obviously worked because Bill's mouth was agape, and his eyes were glazed. Shaking her head, she opened her door. "Goodnight." Hermione laid a gentle kiss on his cheek daringly, and then shut the door. One could not succeed if one did not take chances. It only mildly disturbed her that it was Charlie's face she had been seeing in her mind and not Bill's.

"Goodnight." He replied, far after the door had closed. Sighing, he leaned his head against the doorframe. That had not been his smoothest moment. Feeling less like Mister Suave and more like a dunce, he turned to walk to his rooms, unaware of a very hurt and confused Charlie Weasley that stood staring at the door, as if attempting to see through it and into the heart of the matter. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why he felt betrayed by his own brother.

Moodily, he turned back down the hallway, anger replacing the hurt and anxiety. He would win this contest just to wipe the self-satisfied smile off of his brother's face.

XXXXXXXXXXX

AN: Thanks to all of the reviewers. Well, this is a strange turnaround. I didn't intend for it to be a Hermione/Charlie fic, but I kind of wanted to try my hand at it. Now I have to figure out how to keep the game going and get my little triumvirate of matchmakers together so that they can get Charlie and Hermione together. Whoohoo!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sorry so long on the update. Thanks to all the reviewers! You guys rock!

_**THE RACE IS ON**_

_CHAPTER THREE_

A couple days later found Hermione Granger ensconced in her rooms. Sighing gently, she collapsed on her bed, arms and legs akimbo as she contemplated the situation that she and Ginny had put her in. In two days hence, she agreed to dinner with the derelict Potion's Master, and the fire in his obsidian eyes was enough to make her warm all over. She had nearly died when he had stopped outside of her office, leaning his lanky frame against her doorjamb, and succinctly asking her out. As if he did that kind of thing everyday. He hadn't been surly in the least, and that was extremely out of character for him…

Thrusting her errant thoughts to the side, she rolled over onto her stomach, looking into the green and golden eyes of the ginger cat that was splayed across her bedspread, blinking sleepily at her. "What am I going to do, Crooks?" She had been surprised that the kneazle had lived as long as he had, but when she researched it, she found that the cat creatures lived upwards of fifty years. Crookshanks stared at her a moment, before yowling in aggravation, rolling over and trying to urge her to scratch his side. "A lot of help you are." She obligingly scratched his itching side. Another thought went through her head, just before she rose to take a shower._ If only it had been Charlie…_

XXXX

"_He_ fancies_ her_!"

"Yes." Both Remus and Severus answered in tandem. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to abate the headache that was quickly accompanying his agreement with the werewolf to try and talk sense into the eldest Weasley child. Brushing his lank hair back from his dark eyes, his brows drawing down in one of his infamous disapproving looks, he sighed. "Your brother fancies Granger." He spoke the words slowly, enunciating each syllable as crisp as possible. "He is infatuated with her. If you weren't so…what's the muggle word…?" He looked helplessly at Remus who shrugged. "Boony-blind? No…that's not it…oh! Booty-blind. If you weren't so booty-blind, then you would be able to see that your brother obviously harbors more than just friendly feelings for the chit." His silky voice lowered, deepened, as his upper lip curled slightly, sneer firmly in place.

"What we're trying to say is that Charlie may actually have something more in this than just vacation days." Remus clarified, though the clarification was just a mere restating of the obvious statement that Severus made.

Bill shook his head, his loosened hair spilling across his shoulder and caressing his cheek as he denied that fact. "That's just not possible! Hermione is not his type. She's studious…a right bookworm. If anything she would be Remus' type, or yours, because she is almost as headstrong as you! She is not adventurous enough for Charlie. She would never leave her teaching position here to go and follow him if he went back to working with dragons. She wouldn't stand for the danger…she would simply crack under the pressure."

"Like she cracked under the pressure of being the best friend of Potter, right?" Severus replied bitterly. "It wasn't she who had a hand in helping defeat the Dark Lord. It wasn't she that stood beside the Potter and your own youngest brother, at risk of life and limb, fighting against Malfoy. It wasn't she that took down sixteen adult wizards at the tender age of seventeen."

"I know my brother! He's just jealous that she likes me!" Bill hissed, turning around and stomping toward the door. "You're just trying to make me lose! You just want my vacation days!"

Remus and Severus shared a glance that was on the verge of being murderous.

XXXX

"Hermione…" Charlie knocked on the door, all but whispering the girl's name.

"Come in, no wards up right now." Her voice filtered through the painting, and Charlie half-smiled at the dragon that protected her door. It snorted in irritation, then swung open, allowing him entrance. He stepped through the portrait hole, stopping in surprise. The room was decorated in light lilac and pale yellow. It was just so…female. Blinking, he fought his surprise as Hermione stepped from behind a wardrobe, her bushy hair wrapped in a clean towel, clothed in a pair of flannel pyjama bottom and a tie-dyed t-shirt that had obviously seen better days. "Hi Charlie!" She smiled brightly at him, gesturing for him to have a seat in the adjoined sitting room.

"Hi Hermione." He replied, and when he didn't move, he found himself ushered into a high-back armchair as she sank on the couch across from him.

"What brings you here at this godforsaken hour?" She cocked her head to the side, a tendril of honey-colored hair escaping it's temporary turban and curling about her face. Cinnamon eyes locked on his, crinkling at the edges as she wrinkled her nose and smiled again. Was she purposefully flirting with him?

"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood…" He started, then trailed off…realizing how incredibly lame that sounded. "I mean…um…I came to see if you…er…"

"Yes, Saturday would be fine." Hermione answered, and he glanced at her confused.

"What?"

"I said Saturday would be fine, at seven."

"But I—"

"You didn't just ask me on a date?" Her smile slipped from her face and her cinnamon eyes widened, her eyebrows raising slightly. She chewed on her bottom lip, and he broke down.

"Yes, yes…Saturday, at seven."

"Good, it's a date. Did you want something else?"

"Um…"

"Alright then, I think it's time that I got dressed and ready for dinner. It was nice for you to drop by." She then stood, and ushered him out of the room.

He still stood outside of her rooms a few moments later, a confused look crossing his features. He never did ask for that book on dragons that he had let her borrow that he wanted back.


	4. Chapter 4

_**THE RACE IS ON**_

_CHAPTER FOUR_

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate Severus' attempt at an interesting and engaging conversation. She loved the discourse she was receiving on the uses of several different animal parts in various potions. Like, how powdered boar's hoof could reduce the lingering affects of the Cruciatus Curse, provided it was mixed in with a proper base of water, bubotuber pus, and liquefied turtle spleen. But, her attention was beginning to wander, and she followed the track of the soft light with her cinnamon eyes. The light began it's play on his black hair, which was tied away from his Romanesque face with a leather thong. It lingered on his brow, scooping downward to his eyes, lighting the depths of his obsidian eyes. It danced in a play of shadows across his cheekbones, and roman nose, and then down to his lips. They were a little on the thin side, but the way he pursed them as he talked, or thought, made her wonder what it would be like to feel them slide against the soft skin of her throat.

"And the end of the world should happen in the year two thousand twenty six, anno domini."

"Hmmm?" She forced her eyes away from his lips, blinking away the confusion and readjusting herself in her seat, a blush staining her cheeks.

"You weren't paying attention to me, were you, Miss Granger?" His voice was deceptively soft, and she couldn't tell if he was displeased that her mind had wandered or smug that her attention was concentrated on his lips. The use of her surname threw her back to the innocent time she spent in school, and made her feel childish, and at the same time, a certain thrill that she was with her dark potion's professor.

"I'm sorry, my mind wandered a bit." She admitted with a sheepish grin, her hands working at the linen napkin in her lap. She had thought it strange that Severus had insisted on a muggle restaurant, until she realized that he might not want to chance any of his old cronies seeing him bandy about with a Muggleborn, and she had voiced her concerns to him, only to have him laugh it off. It turned out that he actually frequented this particular Italian restaurant, since the squib sister of a friend of his actually owned it.

"Your mind wandered? And where exactly was it traveling?"

She smiled beguiling at him, choosing to gesture with her glass for more wine, in lieu of answering. He took the bait, filling her glass with a little more red wine, which she rewarded him further with another smile. She took a sip of the dark liquid, allowing it to sit on her tongue for a few moments before swallowing. She noticed that Severus' eyes were locked on her in an intense stare. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, it's just that it is rare to find someone to will hold their wine to absorb all the taste." He cocked his head to the side, which made her notice that his hair, instead of being lank and hanging about his face in oily locks, was silky, smooth, and clean. The blue-black of his hair shimmered in the half-light of the restaurant, and she was struck by a sudden urge to run her fingers through his hair.

Ignoring that particular primal need, she smiled at him. "Yes, well, I've always prided myself on the enjoyment of the simple pleasures, such as tastes and textures." If she could have packed more innuendo in one statement, she would have amazed even herself. At her statement, Severus' eyebrows raised, as if she were all but challenging him. To what, though, he could not say that he had the slightest inkling.

"Should we move this conversation to a more comfortable atmosphere?" He smirked as he noticed that she was pushing the remainder of her linguini around on her plate.

"Please." She breathed, hoping that he didn't mean the dungeons…maybe her own rooms? Would that seem too forward?

Severus stood, gesturing for the waiter to bring the cheque, as he helped Hermione out of her seat. Leaving a tip for the harried man that brought the bill, he then paid and ushered the brunette out of the quaint Italian restaurant, and onto the streets of muggle London. Heading for a deserted alley, both he and Hermione disapparated back to the gates of Hogwarts. The large, imposing castle made the perfect backdrop against the brilliant summer night sky, in which thousands of stars were dancing merrily and the crescent moon was inching her way across the velvety violet background.

Hermione turned to face Severus, all thoughts of conversation receding from her mind as he stood there, in the darkness, a figure almost as imposing as the school. The black slacks and black button down shirt made him meld into the darkness, a shadow that was neither here nor there, a shade that was ethereal and ephemeral. His pale features were shadowed by the lack of light, his dark eyes searching her own face with an intensity that seemed so unlike her former professor it made her breath catch in her throat.

He moved toward her, his face unreadable. She stood there, her cinnamon eyes widening as he moved closer, her heartbeat quickening, her breath coming in slight gasps. Catching hold of her face with both hands, he leaned down, pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of her mouth, the barest flicker of his soft lips before straightening and turning on his heel. Striding away from her, he entered the gate and disappeared into the darkness.

Blinking, she stood there, staring at the spot he had been in, her fingers touching the corner of her mouth, where his lips had brushed. She had just been kissed by her former professor…a soft, yielding kiss that was but a promise of much more.

XXXX

Severus didn't stop until he was standing outside of his office, his breathing labored and his body tingling. He had kissed her, and he hadn't meant too. He was just going to continue the conversation, perhaps turn it toward Charlie so that he could ascertain her feelings on the matter before he and Remus proceeded further with their scheming and plotting.

But she had stood there, in the darkness, and he had lost his mind! _Bloody insufferable Gryffindor!_ He raged internally, hissing the password so that he could slink into his rooms. This called for some serious thinking and firewhiskey…less of the former and more of the latter. _What, in the name of the Gods, would possess him to act like a third-year, a hormonal teenaged male!_ _He was her senior by a good seventeen years!_

Grabbing an aged bottle from the bar in his sitting room, he opened it. He would think about it in the morning. Right now, getting pissed sounded like a smashing idea! How to tell Remus that he was…perhaps…developing an infatuation with the very girl he shouldn't…couldn't…because of his love of a happy ending?

Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, a tiny voice whispered softly, _And when do you get your happy ending?_

XXXX

One look at Severus the next morning was enough to let Bill know that no…play…had gone on the night before. The professor had receded into a shell, barely eating at breakfast, wincing at loud noises and keeping his eyes on the table in front of him.

Charlie and Remus had picked up on Severus' lack of appetite and foul mood, both of them deciding, in tandem, that keeping quiet would be best for the health and welfare of all involved.

Hermione, on the other hand, was oblivious to anything, her eyes faraway, her attention wandering. Dumbledore had even had to ask her three times to pass the butter before he just accioed it.

XXXX

"What is wrong with you?" Remus asked gently, cornering Severus after the morning meal. His old, but new, friend just shrugged and tried to continue on toward the safety of the dungeons, and maybe another bottle of Firewhiskey, but Remus would not budge.

Sighing angrily, Severus put his hands on the werewolf, and forced him out of the way, stalking past him and toward his hole. His nest…his safehold. Only to find himself pulled back, and staring into the golden eyes of an angry Remus Lupin.

"Snape, what has you in such a foul humor?" He all but growled. "Surely your date with Hermione could not have gone as bad as all that."

At the girl's name, the man in question winced. "No, it did not go badly at all, Remus. You will not get the sordid details."

"Are there sordid details?"

Severus' wand was in his hand and he spun on his heel, his hand leveled at Bill Weasley. "Don't ask me if there were sordid details, Weasley." His voice was a low, dangerous purr that Remus recognized.

"Why not, Snape? Did you not bed the girl on the first date? For shame!" Bill smirked, his full lips curling up as he stared at the angered man. Remus shook his head, trying to warn the eldest Weasley boy with his eyes that he was making a mistake. If Bill noticed, he did a right job of ignoring him.

Severus lunged at him, pressing him against the wall, his forearm over the man's throat. "Let me tell you this now, Weasley." His voice was soft enough that only Bill could hear him. "If you ever refer to Miss Granger in that way again, I will make your life a living hell. I am warning you now, and you best pay heed to me. I will not having you show a Lady disrespect." He stepped back, sneering at Bill as he gasped, trying to get his breath back. Turning on his heel, he disappeared into the dungeons, leaving only Remus and Bill in the hall.

"What did I say?" Bill shook his head. "Mental!"

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks to the reviewers! You guys keep this going! 


	5. Chapter 5

**THE RACE IS ON**

_CHAPTER FIVE_

"We have to talk."

Hermione turned at the voice of her most beloved ex-professor. She smiled brightly at the rather haggard Remus Lupin, her cinnamon eyes catching his golden ones before she acquiesced, gesturing with her spread hands that she was available. "What can I do for you today, Remus?" Her voice was throaty as her eyes were drawn to a lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead.

Remus had fully come with the intention of speaking to Hermione about the impending war between the Weasley brothers and Severus. That was before the scent hit him. Vanilla and strawberries, with a musky undercurrent. His nostrils flared as he tried to breathe in more of the smell, lock it away in his mind as the smell of heaven. Panting heavily, the wolf in him howled it's approval as his eyes fell to her feet. It was too close to the full moon, he should escape!

"Remus?"

Gods, but her voice sounded like chimes in the wind. Breathy and barely there, throaty and lovely, a perfect octave for…_no, don't go there, Remus, old boy! Fight it!_

He tried to lift his eyes to her face, but instead, he dragged them up her body, a body that had definitely filled out with time. Curves were barely hidden by the robes she wore, that blouse should definitely be outlawed, it showed more of her décolletage than was socially acceptable, he was sure. She was chewing on her lower lip, her eyebrows pulled down over her beautiful cinnamon eyes as she glanced at him worriedly. And all that hair! Her massive amount of curls hung about her body, making his mind jump to a painting he had seen of Lady Godiva, riding the horse through town to warn the townspeople, clothed only by her curls.

"Oh no…" He groaned, his knees becoming weak as she tried to step toward him. "No, Hermione. I-I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse as he backed away from her, his face a mask of terror and something else. Something darker, decidedly wicked, and probably a lot of fun.

Turning, he fled.

XXXXX

"Ginny, I think we have a problem." Hermione stared at the head in her fireplace, twisting her hands nervously.

"What is it?"

"Well, ever since…you know, Bill has become more forward, Charlie has become moody, Severus kissed me, and Remus panted." Hermione said all of this so fast that Ginny had a hard time catching it.

"Um…isn't that a good thing?"

"No! I don't know, yes? Gods, I'm so confused. I don't know what to do."

"Go with the flow." Was the sage parting advice that the Weasley girl gave, before disappearing.

So much for the help of friends.

XXXXX

"There is something going on." Minerva sighed as she settled in a chair in Albus' office. "It is suspicious, and slightly disturbing. Severus whistled earlier. He never whistles."

Albus just smiled his vague smile.

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_**AN**: I know this is short, but it's just a filler chapter, for the next one in which Charlie has his turn at a date. Whoohoo! Thanks for the reviews, my friends._


	6. Chapter 6

**THE RACE IS ON**

_CHAPTER SIX_

"Oh, Charlie, it's gorgeous!" Hermione breathed as she settled down on the blanket, smiling as the fragrance of the autumn evening filled her head with romantic thoughts. She hadn't been too sure what Charlie had been up to when he had told her to just dress casually, and preferably muggle.

So, wearing her favorite pair of jeans, complete with holes in the knees, a pair of flip-flops, and a beaded peasant shirt with slightly belled sleeves, she had met Charlie at the entrance of the school. Her hair, as untamed as ever, still hung about her in that divine, Godiva-esque way that had Remus running earlier. She had smiled at him, and they had simply walked to gates, light conversation between them, and then he had apparated them both away.

And here she sat, amid at least seventy different kinds of exotic flowers, their bright colors and heady scent filled her with a sense of relaxation that Severus' dinner, though wonderful, had not. She rarely deigned to go outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time, but even she could not ignore the aesthetic and pleasing beauty that this garden provided. "Where are we?"

Charlie smiled, dropping beside her on the blanket and allowing his focus to be consumed by a violet and yellow splashed bell flower that tinkled whenever the wind hit it just right. "After the final battle, Neville Longbottom and I were both ensconced in the same hospital room. During the two week stay, he and I formed a fast, and rather strong, friendship. He is a good fellow, that chap. Well, a couple of years later, he had finished school to be a horticulturalist, and botanist, and he needed a place to work and study his plant life. It just so happened that I had a piece of property not far from the Burrow that I hadn't developed yet, and was likely not to, because back in those days, I was still in love with Dragons." His voice turned slightly bitter here as his hand sought the scar that ran the length of his shoulder, to his chest. The wound had put him out of commission for a few months in which he had found that he was…replaceable. "I let Neville use a portion of the land, and this is what came of it."

Hermione's face was slightly thoughtful as he turned to glance at her. She had known that Neville had a benefactor that allowed him the use of his land, but never had she known that it was Charlie Weasley! No wonder some of these flowers were so familiar. She, herself, had walked this garden path a few years ago, when Neville had first begun his research, and cross-breeding, to form different Wizarding varieties of mundane plants. Turning a bright smile on Charlie, she sighed, enjoying the wonderful weather and stunning surroundings.

"But that is enough of that." Charlie said, decisively. "Come, let's eat."

He opened the basket he had brought with him, taking out the bread, block of cheese, a dozen different meats, vegetables, and all sorts of other goodies that the elves at Hogwarts had seen fit to provide the two.

XXXXX

Hermione sighed gently as she and Charlie wended their way up the path back to Hogwarts. The evening had a magical feel to it that had been missing from her date with Severus.

She took a moment to study her date out of the corner of her eye, another sigh escaping her. The starlight that illuminated their path fell upon him in a wave of sparkling, ethereal essence. Where Severus had been a study of dark on dark, Charlie was a study of contrasts. His shaggy hair caught the starlight, and laid about his face like flame consuming him. His tanned skin absorbed the light, and he had a relaxed air about him that bespoke of a calm confidence.

Her full lips curved up in a half-smile as she continued, silent and pleasant, on the way to the castle.

Charlie, on the other hand, was nervous. He seemed to be relaxed, but that was a practiced air that he had achieved over years around Dragons. Inside, he was roiling. The night had been wonderful, filled with laughter and interesting conversation, and amid those flowers, Hermione had looked to be a natural part of the surroundings. An acolyte of Venus in her own abode.

And now, as she walked beside him, studying him from the corner of his eye, he was debating on whether or not it would be appropriate to kiss her. Not on the first date, perhaps?

XXXXX

Outside the door to her rooms, Hermione turned, smiling up at the second eldest Weasley. "I really enjoyed tonight. Thank you for taking me."

"I enjoyed it too, thank you for…insisting." He grinned, thinking of their conversation a few days ago in which she had placed the words in his mouth, all but telling him that he was taking her out. Not that he wasn't already going to ask, of course.

Her smile brightened the tiniest bit at the citing of what she did, and she blushed, cinnamon eyes sliding to the side as she coyly tried to avoid all mentions of her actions. She stood there a moment, sucking her lower lip between her teeth and chewing on it absently.

And it was that action that was Charlie's undoing. His eyes had dropped to her mouth, at the exact moment she began chewing on her lower lip, and something within him snapped, causing a shudder to run through his entire body. With a growl worthy of a wolf, he pressed Hermione against the portrait guarding the entrance to her rooms, ignoring the look of surprise on her face as he kissed the side of her mouth, before tilting his head to get better access to those soft, inviting lips that had seemingly begged to be assaulted moments before.

Hermione tilted her head also, repeating the action she had done to her own lower lip with his, nipping it a bit sharply, eliciting a rather intimate groan from Charlie as he pressed her against the portrait more solidly.

And it was then that Remus chanced by, and with a strained sounding "Good evening." He watched with a hint of satisfaction as Charlie broke away from Hermione, both of them looking as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on them.

Remus continued on his way, but the moment was broken, and Charlie blushed. Without another word, he turned on his heel and quickly made his way to his rooms, leaving a confused Hermione Jane Granger to wonder why the men who kissed her always seemed to run away.

XXXXX

"We're doomed." Remus groaned, collapsing against the wall, allowing his head to drop back with an audible thump against the unyielding stone. "We're doomed!"

Severus sighed in agreement, as he knew what the werewolf was referring to. Both of them, without meaning too, had found themselves attracted to the lovely bookworm. And, both, without meaning too, had put their plan in jeopardy of succeeding. And both, assuredly without meaning too, had resolved that perhaps their own happy ending was in the arms of Hermione Granger.

"Yes." Severus sighed again. "Doomed we most certainly are."

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_**AN:** Okay, here's the next installment. Not as good as I was hoping for, but the best I'm going to get because I hit a patch of writer's block. Hopefully the next chapter will be better. Anyway, thanks to the reviewers, you guys rock!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own the characters of Harry Potter © JK Rowling. I do not own the song 'Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo' © Disney, and I do not own the references to the Wizard of Oz, © The guy that wrote the story, and whoever made the film. Now that that's out of the way…on with the show!_

**_THE RACE IS ON_**

_CHAPTER SEVEN_

Charlie Weasley stared morosely at the ceiling, the hangings drawn about his bed as he sighed once again. What was he thinking?! What had possessed him to kiss Hermione like that? What sort of man was he, to take advantage of an innocent woman like that? Not that she didn't reciprocate. If that bloody Werewolf hadn't happened to chance by, who knew what would have happened.

Charlie rolled onto his side and sighed once again. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be angry at Remus, or relieved that he had perhaps rescued Hermione from being ravaged. What must she think of him now? How could he ever look her in the eye again knowing that he had let his…_urges_…dictate what he did, instead of thinking through the ramifications of his actions. Bloody Hell!

XXXXX

Hermione sighed and collapsed on the comfortable lounge in her sitting room, hugging up to one of the many body pillows strewn across the bed and furniture in her room. She liked the comfort of the body pillows, they didn't try to run when she cuddled up to them. Which brought her to another perplexing thought. _Am I so horrible that the thought of letting one's guard down and kissing me sends the men in my life into some sort of anaphylactic shock, and take off in the opposite direction as fast as the muscles in their legs would carry them._ Maybe her lips were actually venom sacs that distributed the same type of deadly concoction as an African Killer Honey Bee…

She rolled her eyes and buried her face in the body pillow, groaning audibly. Just when it seemed things were going so well too! She sighed, glaring at the mobile phone that was resting on her end table. It was times like these that she wished her Vodafone would work in the Hogwarts' vicinity. The prepaid mobile had been her crutch when she had been attending Uni, and it held the telephone number of the one person she truly needed to talk to. Marjorie St. John was the one person in the world, other than Ginerva Weasley, that she could count on to have the right kind of information. But, alas…Hogwarts' wards were too strong for even the mobile phone's insignificant service to breach.

Growling, she plopped her head back on the pillow, and lamented for her lack of a love life, and poison sac lips.

XXXXX

"Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo!"

"Thanks Ginny, goodness knows I didn't really want help with the situation."

"Hey, I'm doing my best to get you laid and all you can say is that you wish you had a fairy god mother to make all of this work out your way. I was just trying to fill those overly large shoes."

"Never mind."

As Hermione cut the Floo connection, she could still hear the dying strains of the Cinderella song…and Ginny Weasley whispering, "Bibbity bobbity, bibbity bobbity, bibbity bobbity…boo!!"

XXXXX

Somewhere near the Slytherin rooms, the sound of voices raised in lament filtered through the halls… "Doomed, doomed…doomed!"

"I'm melting!"

"Filch, no one said you could join our pity party…"

"No, really, I'm melting!" The sound of sloshing water and gurgling took over for a moment, then stillness reigned.

"Oh…no, false alarm, the dirt was just coming off my skin."

"Argus, remove yourself from my presence before I show you exactly what I learned whilst being a Deatheater, you gross, unnatural son-of-a…"

"Language Severus." Remus cut in.

The pitter-pattering of adult-sized squib feet broke through the conversation, and then…

"Doomed…we're doomed!"

XXXXX

And in his rooms, Albus Dumbledore contemplated the random ramblings that were currently happening across his lovely castle. Omniscient, omnipotent, and wise, he turned over in his bed, grabbed another sherbert lemon drop, and drifted back to sleep, humming a song that suspiciously sounded like 'Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo.'

XXXXX

And somewhere in the darkest, deepest recesses of Castle Hogwarts, one lone voice echoed in the stillness. "I will get you, my pretty…and those vacation days too!"

Sibyl Trelawney cackled as she made her way up the ladder and back into her lofty abode. Now that she knew the stakes of the game, she would decide the outcome. Somehow, someway, she would repay the Granger chit for insulting her those many years ago.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

* * *

**AN:** _Hey guys, I know it's been a long while since I've updated…(nigh on seven months…) but I've had a lot of things go wrong, and life got in the way. Hopefully the updates will get to be less few and far between now, and sorry about this chapter, I was suffering from writer's block, but I really wanted to update._


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